In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement-007 (ICE) is modifying an existing system of records for Alien Criminal Response Information Management (ACRIM) System. The new system will update the data gathered and maintained both in paper form and electronically by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to carry out its mission to receive and respond to immigration status inquiries from criminal justice agencies regarding individuals arrested, under investigation, or otherwise encountered by those agencies.  Comments on the new system of records can be submitted on or before March 26, 2010 and the new system will be effective on the same day.

For complete information, please visit ICE’s website: www.ice.gov

The latest testimony in a lawsuit filed by the Indian H-2B workers against the company, Signal International has brought the Guest Worker Program flaws to the fore. The Signal International hired these foreign workers with the help of U.S. and Indian recruiters, reports The New York Times. The company claims the recruiters misled it – and the workers – about the terms of the work visas that brought them into U.S. The recruiters have allegedly promised the workers that their visas would soon be converted to green cards, allowing them to stay permanently in U.S. Learning later that they have been trafficked and victimized, hundreds of Indian workers have brought a civil rights lawsuit against the company, claiming they were victims of human trafficking and labor abuse.

Thus, the Signal case has come to represent some of the flaws and pitfalls, for immigrants and employers, in the H-2B temporary guest worker program, compelling law makers to think whether or not to consider the expansion of guest worker programs.

For complete information, please click: Suit Points to Guest Worker Program Flaws

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in riot gear tried to end a hunger strike by detainees last week in Lower Manhattan, said three detainees in telephone interviews. As per the reports, Detainees in the Verick Federal Detention Center in Lower Manhattan launched a hunger strike, and refused to go to the mess hall. They gave guards a flier explaining that they were protesting the detention policies and practices and calling for the suspension of detention and deportation for those whose family members were American Citizens or legal residents.

For complete information, please click: Jail Protest by Immigrant Detainees Is Broken Up by Agents

According to the statement issued by Matt Chandler, Deputy Press Secretary, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton have temporarily halted all removal of Haiti in the wake of earthquake there. ICE continues to closely monitoring the situation.

For complete information, please click: Statement by Deputy Press Secretary Matt Chandler

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Tuesday that it has expanded Secure Communities criminal alien initiative to Sacramento and Solano counties in Northern California. The Secure Communities program is an initiative developed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that modernizes the process used to accurately identify and remove dangerous criminal aliens from the community. Enforced by the U.S. immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE), the program envisages the use of biometrics to enhance identification and removal of dangerous criminal aliens from the community.  With the inclusion of Sacramento and Solano counties, there are now eight California counties participating in the initiative. ICE says it plans to roll out the program with nationwide coverage anticipated by 2013.

For complete information, please click: ICE Secure Communities criminal alien initiative expanded to Sacramento, Solano counties

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning to modify its system of records relating to Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) in order to accommodate more information that will be collected and maintained on individuals. ICE’s SEVIS-II is a system that tracks and monitors F, M, J nonimmigrants throughout the duration of approved participation within the U.S. education system or designated exchange visitor program. The new system will update categories of individuals; categories of records; purpose of the system; routine usages; policies and practices for storing; retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records in the system. ICE seeks comments from the public on this proposal.

For complete information, please click: SEVIS database modified

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) has issued a report on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) practices for determining the age of individuals in its custody, focusing on the use of dental or skeletal radiographs. The report was prepared at the request of the House Appropriations Committee wherein the OIG was asked to report on any cases in which ICE used bone and dental forensics in 2008-09. In its report, the OIG concluded that ICE recognizes the limits of radiographs and strives to obtain additional information when making age determinations, however recommended the ICE to track age determinations data better; update guidance for field offices; and ensure that radiographic exam results include all required information and are properly documented.

For complete information, please click: Age Determination Practices for Unaccompanied Alien Children in ICE Custody

Federal immigration officials are cracking down on Vermont dairy farmers asking them to provide records to prove their workers are legal. Kelly Lotus, a spokeswoman for the state Agency of Agriculture, says immigration officials visited four farms on Thursday. She says the move creates another level of anxiety and stress for the state’s dairy farmers, many of whom are suffering financially because of low milk prices. Dairy farmers in Vermont and elsewhere have turned to imported help because of the difficulty hiring people locally to do the work. Sen. Patrick Leahy says he is disappointed that this comes at a time when dairy farmers are struggling. The Dairy Farmers working together have announced that those who are affected by the crackdown can call the state Agency of Agriculture for assistance from an immigration attorney.

For complete information please click: Federal Immigration Officials Target Vermont Farms

Yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Janet Napolitano, along with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Alejandro Mayorkas had announced the “I E-Verify” campaign to recognize the approximately 170,000 businesses nationwide that seek to maintain legal workforces by using E-Verify – DHS’ online system to verify employment eligibility of new hires.

This announcement came at a symposium-”2009 Government and Employers: Working Together to Ensure a Legal Workforce,” hosted by ICE and USCIS, where Secretary Napolitano urged businesses to enroll in E-Verify and praised the numerous employers in attendance who are already participating.

For full news, please click: DHS’ New Program, to Recognize Employers Committed to Maintaining a Legal Workforce

According to a report from Minnesota Public Radio, about 1,200 undocumented janitors in the Twin Cities were fired from their jobs last month. The janitors worked for San Francisco-based ABM Corporation that cleans many downtown office towers. The ABM letter revealed that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had problems with workers documentation. While commenting on the development, the ABM Industries Vice President Mr. Tony Mitchell said, “Federal law prescribes specific procedures by which employers conduct employment verification. Our policy is full compliance with the law.”

According to John Keller of the Immigrant Law Center, the majority of the 1,200 fired workers are undocumented of which about 10 might have a path to citizenship under existing laws. The rest will probably try to wait it out, hoping for the laws to change so they can work legally.

For complete information please click: Immigration Raid in Minneapolis: 1,200 Janitors Lose Jobs